Finally soloed today. Conditions weren't perfect but the best they'd been in a while. My CFI said that he had really thought today would have been the day for me to solo but conditions were a little too rough for him to feel comfortable. Head games. Yes there were about 15kt winds aloft but only about 4kts on the ground. After a couple times around the pattern and 2 good landings he directed me back to the ramp. I called him a jerk and got all the paperwork squared away. Took a little longer than usual to push the throttle to the firewall on takeoff. And what everyone says about the climb without that lump in the seat next to you is very true. I was nearly 200' higher at the end of the airfield solo. Another student was in the pattern and went about twice as far on the downwind than he was supposed to so I thought he was leaving the pattern for some reason. Luckily I held back and he eventually turned base and final. At about this same point a Cirrus was overflying the airfield on a 45 to get to downwind. The other student was down and off the runway in plenty of time when I turned final. Landed fine although it was not the greaser everyone claims they have. Or have I broken a rule by not saying these were the best landings ever? Full stop and takeoff again. Come around and make clear radio calls on each leg and I'm turning onto final and that same student states they're taking off 35. Surely not. Yep, pulls right out while I'm on final and luckily gunned it. I was getting ready to side step and go around but he was well clear by the time I got to the edge of the airfield. So, I got to deal with some unusual things this morning. Another landing, not perfect but apparently not too bad, flares were good at least. Head back to the hangar. I don't remember a whole lot after that. Pictures were taken and somewhere along the line I helped push the plane into the hangar. Get back to the office and they pull some scissors out of the freezer to cut my shirt. I reminded them what payback was but they did it anyway.
I was brought back down to earth when I tried to start my car and the battery was dead.
I was brought back down to earth when I tried to start my car and the battery was dead.